


Abyss and Oblivion

by AngelTitan114



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M, Multi, Sci Fi AU, centered around oikawa, empire vs rebellion, space empire
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-20
Updated: 2016-07-16
Packaged: 2018-07-24 08:08:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7500648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AngelTitan114/pseuds/AngelTitan114
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Rebellion was winning; Oikawa hated to admit such defeat, but it was as true as the stars he grew up with. But the newest turn of events in his grandiose life very well may tip the scales of the escalating war.<br/>The question is...<br/>Towards which side?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Abyss and Oblivion

“You can never turn back, but you will never be alone from this moment on. Rise, child. Rise, and be one with your people!”

Oikawa slowly stood from his kneeling, eyes still gently closed. The people before him cried their ratification and screamed his name back to him. Their individual voices continued to swell within his very being, and he felt the fresh mark upon his shoulder throb with the feeling of every single life around him. His name became a chant to his people, and he opened his eyes.

His irises shone pale blue, now matching that of every other of his people’s.

“Tooru, Tooru, Tooru!” they howled like a pack of wolves, feeding off the enthusiasm of everyone in their vicinity until nothing could be heard but Oikawa’s initiation.

 

**_FIFTEEN YEARS AGO_ **

 

“Deadlock, Mad Dog, what’s your status?!”

“My left engine is out!” Iwaizumi shouted back into the comms. “Mad Dog, I need a draft, stat!”

“Can’t make it,” Kyoutani grunted back from his own craft. “I ain’t gonna to get up to Mach 4 with what I have. Cap, can anybody else get here?”

Oikawa’s chest tightened. Matsukawa was at his port, Hanamaki at his starboard, and the rest of Squadron One, Two and Three were just behind him. No one was nearly close enough in range to Iwaizumi to give him the boosting draft he needed to get out of the gravitational pull. _Fuck_.

This wasn’t how this mission was supposed to go. Contain the rebellion on Johzenji at any cost, even if it meant taking drastic measures; _that’s_ what he had been told. Hanamaki had wisely suggested keeping it a diplomatic mission, which Oikawa gladly agreed to. Bloodshed was unnecessary for such a small planet like Johzenji. Their military power wasn’t nearly enough to take on the three most elite astro-fighter squadrons in the universes anyways.

So how had the mission turned into such a catastrophe?

There were more astro-fighters in the air than Johzenji had, Oikawa knew that. The moment he realized that as they had come into orbit, he’d called off his squadron, as well as Moniwa and Daishou’s. There was no way they could do this civilized if they had a welcoming party made up of lasers and hostility.

But the sudden indication of planetary implosion had made up Oikawa’s mind and he called for a retreat altogether.

That much astro-warfare had of course been far too much for Johzenji’s tight atmosphere. He should have expected such an outcome.

“I’m coming back around, Deadlock, so hold tight!” Oikawa instinctively called to Iwaizumi, breaking from formation. Matsukawa instantly moved to take his position. “Firefly, take point-”

“Cap, wait a second!” another of Oikawa’s squadron, Yahaba, suddenly alerted him. “Johzenji’s grav pull just spiked by three hundred percent! You can’t go back or you won’t be making it out alive!”

“Mad Dog, where are you?!” Oikawa inquired hurriedly, trying with everything he was made of to keep the composure of a colonel. “You’ve gotta do a snap around and get Deadlock!”

“I just told you I _can't_ -”

_“ Motherfucker!_ ”

Now Oikawa’s heart stuttered. That was Iwaizumi’s voice. “Deadlock?! What’s going on?! What happened?!” Oikawa twisted in his jet’s seat, frantically glancing back at where Johzenji was quickly imploding, only to find Iwaizumi’s bright teal fighter struggling close to half a mile behind the rest of the squadrons.

“Hull’s breached, and I’ve still got enemy fighters on me!” Oikawa’s lieutenant updated. “Cap, just go, I’ll hold them off!”

“No, we’re not leaving you!” Oikawa shouted over the rushing of blood in his ears. “Firefly, I’m going-”

_“ Stay where you are! ”_ Matsukawa instead yelled over Oikawa’s order. “We aren’t losing you too!”

_“ Issei! ”_

“Shut up and keep point, or I’ll blast your engines out and drag you back!” Matsukawa growled in a menacing tone. He wasn’t letting up, Oikawa knew that.

“Tooru,” Oikawa suddenly heard a softer voice over the comms. “Go to the private line.”

Without hesitation, he switched from the squadron comms to the private line between only him and Iwaizumi. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Oikawa asked his lieutenant, now allowing his voice to crack with the pain building inside his chest. “You know I won’t leave you to die…”

“I’m not asking you to,” Iwaizumi assured him in a firm but gentle tone, Oikawa choking down sudden tears all the while. “My engine is out and my ship’s got a gaping hole in the side. I won’t even be able to make interplanetary travel, let alone get out of this orbit. But I can still buy you time to get away safely.”

Oikawa switched to autopilot and spun around completely in his seat, undoing his belt in the process. He looked out the rear window, heart pounding hard against his ribs. His bright and glazed eyes found Iwaizumi’s ship, and suddenly he was a six year old boy again.

“Hajime, please don’t leave me,” he sobbed, desperately wishing he could reach out and grasp Iwaizumi like he always did. “ _Please!_ I don’t want to live without you!”

Iwaizumi breathed a strained laugh and Oikawa could hear the heavy sound of Johzenji’s demise and the occasional shot from enemy astro-fighters. Iwaizumi was dodging and returning fire the best he could, but Oikawa could still see the smoke pluming from his lieutenant’s ship. “Don’t be such a damn drama queen, Tooru,” the hardened nineteen year old told Oikawa after a moment. “You’re gonna make me cry.”

Oikawa forced a chuckle. Iwaizumi rarely cried, or at least in front of Oikawa: he always became a blubbering mess.

Now, he could hear his lieutenant stuttering out breaths and sniffing hard.

“Tooru, I’m sorry,” Oikawa heard as he only got further and further from the other man. “I’m so sorry that I couldn’t take you back to Aoba Johsai to see your family again, and I’m sorry we couldn’t live in those mountains that we used to go camp out in when we were kids, and…”

Oikawa couldn’t hear him anymore, not over the sounds of his disgusting sobs and fist banging against the glass, the visor of his helmet fogging up. “Stop apologizing!” he cried, voice cracking harshly and his chest heaving in time with his fist’s movements. “Stop, please! Hajime, come back to me! _Hajime!_ ”

“I love you, Tooru,” Iwaizumi murmured, obviously holding back his own cries over the line. “God, I love you so much, I can’t even take it.”

He would have gotten an answer if Oikawa was able to speak through the heavy lump in his throat and the racking sobs erupting from his chest. He loved Iwaizumi more than he could even explain, so much more than should have been physically possible. His hand hurt from slamming into the reinforced glass and his eyes wouldn’t stop spilling tears. Everything was hurting, _everything was hurting-_

“I love you,” Oikawa heard again, and this time it sounded like a desperate plea. “I love you, I love you, I love you-”

And then there was nothing left but Oikawa’s anguished screams.

 

_**PRESENT DAY** _

 

“Admiral?”

Oikawa’s mind snapped back to reality. _Daydreaming again,_ he scolded himself and shoved the nostalgia and faded pain back down. “The Fleet should not be spread so thinly, not at a time such as this,” he began again, knowing he had lost his train of thought during the conversation with the other Spears of the Alliance. To his left was the Emperor’s royal advisor and Oikawa’s former fellow squadron colonel, Suguru Daishou. To his right sat Hayato Ikejiri, General of the ground forces. Others around the Lunar Chamber included officials from the Allied planets, the sub-planets of Shiratorizawa, and one of the four Starfall Knights of the Emperor, Kenjirou Shirabu, the Master of Air.

Though a Knight was always present at the Allied council conferences, the Master of Air _always_ put Oikawa on edge. Since becoming Admiral, Oikawa had the pleasure of spending much more time with the elite Knights, notably Eita Semi and Reon Ohira, the Masters of Water and Earth respectively. Satori Tendou rarely left the Emperor’s side, so Oikawa had only met him a select few times, but Shirabu was always either in the Emperor’s shadow or holding as metaphorical dagger to your throat. There was no in between.

Oikawa greatly prefered Semi and Ohira.

“But the 36th Sector has come under heavy rebel activity in the last few months, Admiral!” Chancellor Takeru Nakashima of Wakutani exclaimed in a deafening voice, standing quick to emphasize the distress of his galaxy's situation. “Without the help of the Imperial Fleet, what defense do my people have against the Rebellion and their underhanded tactics?!”

“Ougiminami and the 21st Sector share this problem!”

“As does Kakugawa and the 40th!”

“I regret to say that my homeworld of Tokonami also is in dire need of the Fleet,” Ikejiri announced to Oikawa woefully, giving him a sidelong glance as he sat stiff in his dark magenta uniform, strikingly similar to the one Oikawa was sporting. “Chancellor Sakurai has made it known that the 14th Sector will fall into the hands of the Rebellion within the year if no help comes.”

Oikawa mulled over their cries for protection from the Empire. Once, he may have jumped on the opportunity to provide the much needed help these galaxies needed in order to stave off the Rebels. He wouldn’t have even hesitated on such a decision. But the Rebellion was growing in strength, as well as size, and Oikawa’s top priority was ensuring the defense of the first five Sectors of the universe, the 1st Sector especially. The Imperial Fleet was the largest fleet known to the entire expanse of space; however, there were close to 300 Sectors under the Alliance and if Oikawa allowed the Fleet to spread across to each of these Sectors equally, that would leave about six astro-fighter squadrons a galaxy. Adding the reinforcement of the first five Sectors, that left only about three and a half squadrons a galaxy.

Was it better to give minimal help to everyone? Or better to heavily defend those Sectors he could?

Oikawa eventually sighed, slicing through the tension and shouting of the enormous room. Around him, the dignified Chancellors and Heads of Galaxy were watching him closely from their seats in the Lunar Chamber’s circular, layered stands. He sat tall, holding fast under their scrutinizing eyes. “I swear to you, on my loyalty to the Emperor of the Heavens, that the Imperial Fleet and the Imperial Army,” he gestured to Ikejiri, “will do everything in their power to protect, defend and uphold your galaxies and planets against this disease of a rebellion. Though this may be a difficult time for the Alliance and Empire, we must not allow that to turn us against each other, my brothers and sisters. We will not allow the scum scraped from the far corners of space to take our homes, our strength, our _freedom!_ ”

He stood suddenly, grabbing the room’s attention, and he held his head high and proud before the Alliance. “We will eliminate this menace from our universe completely, you have my word! No trace of this vile uprising will remain in history when the Emperor and his forces are finished with them!”

The chamber erupted into applause and roars of ratification towards Oikawa’s proclamation. He noticed Ikejiri nod his approval, the faintest of smiles on his pained features. Oikawa could tell his expression was forced.

He knew that Ikejiri was far smarter than the chancellors present. The Fleet wouldn’t come to the 14th Sector’s aid.

“A rousing speech, Admiral,” Daishou murmured as they exited the Lunar Chamber with Ikejiri, a snide hint to his words. Oikawa ignored it, only nodding in quick acknowledgment and continued to stride in the direction of the hangars. A planet based ship awaited him and his fellow Imperials.

That meant Shirabu was shadowing him.

Oikawa waited patiently until he was in his personal quarters of the jet and they were already enroute to the palace before he called to speak with the Knight.

“How high on yourself are you that you think you can call me like some hound?” Shirabu asked evenly, his younger features betraying nothing of what he felt. “You do understand that I could suffocate you here and now and say you opened the window in a jet, correct?”

Irked, Oikawa stiffly motioned for the Knight to sit on the sofa parallel to his. “Are you sure you aren’t the Master of Smoke instead of Air with all that stalking you do?” he shot back to supress his potential annoyance. “Besides, you don’t have to sulk in my shadow if you want to speak with me _that_ badly.”

For a few silent moments, the two military elites exchanged a conversation with nothing but their bitter and razor sharp gazes. Oikawa held fast, leaning comfortably back into his seat and lounging and arm across the velvet sofa back. It didn’t matter that this _child_ was the Emperor’s favourite Knight; he needed to learn to respect _all_ his superiors, not just those he liked.

Sure enough, the impatient Shirabu cracked first. “As a matter of fact, I _did_ need to speak to you about something, Admiral,” he muttered through a clenched jaw, pale eyes flittering to the small window in the wall. “It’s about what you said during the conference.”

“Oh?” Oikawa chimed smugly, allowing a smirk to form on his lips. “Is that so? What is your opinion on my grand words in the blessed name of our beloved Emperor, noble knight?”

Shirabu shot him a swift and sinister glare that shrieked ‘Are you mocking me with those dressed up words?’ before he recomposed himself and absently smoothed out his formal armour and the thick cloak draped around his small shoulders. Oikawa noted that his tantalizing and seemingly harmless glass yumi was nowhere to be seen. “Those were indeed empowering words that will drive out a considerable amount of doubt from the Alliance and the other Spears. But may I ask what your plan is for after the smoke clears and the Fleet was only present in the Emperor’s most favoured Sectors? You’ve faced such challenges in the past but possibly did not handle them the best…”

“I assume you know that what I do is all in the interest of the Emperor, correct?”

Shirabu narrowed his eyes, exhaling slowly and purposefully before answering. “I do know that, yes.”

Oikawa knew he had dodged the subject the Knight had brought up; however, this was partially due to the fact that he had been questioned and interrogated about the Squadron Two incident for years since it had happened. Frankly, Oikawa had never meant for it to happen in the first place.

Moniwa had been growing restless some time after Oikawa had been named Commander of the first Division of astro-fighter squadrons and Matsukawa took over as Colonel of Squadron One. Oikawa had known Squadron Two’s colonel for years, having gone through the Astro-Aviation Academy with the man. Oikawa had seen the change.

It started when Oikawa would invite the colonel out to drink and when Moniwa was drunk enough, he’d murmur the most treasonous of things and then say he agreed with it all. Oikawa would seal his lips about the drunken words, and they’d never speak of it again, for Moniwa was one of the most prestigious pilots alive. His reputation--and his life--couldn’t afford that sort of attention.

But he remained restless. He continued his jeers towards the Empire. The outspoken high ranker used his influence in the worst of ways. Moniwa has always been the kind of man to question his superiors’ motives and if they were truly for the benefit of the common good and not personal gain. Oikawa was driven into a corner because of it, and the Admiral at the time gave him two options: stop Moniwa’s growing rebellious attitude, or the other Fleet officials would take it into their own hands.

When Moniwa, as well as his lieutenant Kamasaki and his Wing Second Sasaya, were executed three days later, Oikawa knew the Admiral had only given him two options as a formality.

Oikawa’s deliberate ignorance of Moniwa’s actions cost three good men’s lives.

Hanamaki took over as Squadron Two’s colonel when the majority of the pilots deserted the Empire altogether, having been fiercely loyal to Moniwa and his ideals. Despite the pride he felt for his subordinate’s promotion, Oikawa couldn’t shake the deep set feeling that took root in his mind since then. It wasn’t guilt (he could already decipher that within himself; Moniwa had been his friend for a long time, after all), but more of an unease. Moniwa had been an invaluable asset to the Fleet, and even with this fact in his repertoire, he had been disposed of blindingly quick. If Oikawa stepped a hair out of line, would he, a then commander, share the same fate?

Even now, years later and having exchanged the title of Commander for Admiral, Oikawa still felt that same heart-stopping turmoil in the pit of his stomach. Shirabu, and every other superior he had in the Empire, was a constant reminder of that terrifying truth.

“Then you can rest assured,” Oikawa continued, “that whatever happens after that metaphorical smoke of yours clears, it will ultimately be in the Empire and Emperor’s favour. You have my word.”

Shirabu watched him for a few moments, piercing eyes on the offensive against Oikawa. He liked that, knowing he had the Knight on the balls of his feet at all times. “You’ve been giving that out quite a fair amount today,” the Knight observed tactically, meaning Oikawa’s word. “Don’t wear it out, or it will hold no sustenance, Admiral.”

“Of course, Master of Air,” Oikawa leered sarcastically, inclining his head for formality purposes as the Knight stood to take his leave. “I’ll take care not to.”

 

~

 

“Admiral Tooru Oikawa, you may rise.”

Oikawa let a genuine smile come to his face as he straightened his spine and stood from his respectful kneel. “Gracious Empress Kiyoko, I am beyond glad that you are in far better health than last we met.”

“Thank you, Admiral,” the beautiful woman nodded to Oikawa, who gave her a swift and chaste kiss to her dainty hand. _Her nails are midnight blue today._

Kiyoko Shimizu, Empress and wife of the Emperor, was known throughout the galaxies for her beauty just as much as her intellect. Her hair had just been recently trimmed shorter, though there were no signs of it, and half was intricately twisted back to give the illusion of a silky bow. Her dress was a gift from her husband, Oikawa knew that; it was the obvious deep magenta of the Empire, draping sleeves and modest crinoline. The beadwork along the bust and bodice was dazzling, even breathtaking to the Admiral. If she had been anyone but the Empress, her looks alone would have gotten her killed.

As Oikawa stepped down from the dias that held the two glorious thrones of the Empire’s rulers, the Empress spoke softly, “His Majesty should be here quite soon, Admiral. I do apologize for your summoning being far earlier than his arrival.”

“The Emperor honours me with personal summonings rarely, so I have no complaint, Your Highness,” Oikawa purred happily, knowing summons directly from the Emperor himself meant it was for an important reason and he could only trust that reason with someone like Oikawa. His chest swelled with pride knowing that he had worked bone-shatteringly hard for that trust.

Eventually, quite some time and small talk with the Empress later, the Emperor entered the throne room.

Oikawa felt an obvious difference in the air the moment the man made his appearance, Daishou and two Starfall Knights, Tendou and Ouhira today, close behind. It was like a heavy weight had been dropped upon his shoulders and chest, taunting him into having to hold it up as long as the Emperor remained. He should have been used to it by now, but no being could become used to such a daunting presence.

Wakatoshi Ushijima was a well built man without the armour encasing his form: that just served as an intimidation tactic, as well as the star-infused white gold sword swing in the sheath at his hip. Or so people thought. He wore matching colours to his wife, the silk cloak at his shoulders flowing seamlessly as he strode toward to dias.

The Emperor’s dark eyes found Oikawa from across the room, and under such an impending gaze, the Admiral immediately dropped to one knee and deeply bowed his head. He could see the Empress elegantly rise from her throne to meet her husband.

“Kiyoko,” Ushijima murmured in greeting when he came up the dias, allowing the woman to press her lips to his cheek. They sat simultaneously now, and Oikawa knew by their demeanour alone why they ruled an empire.

“Admiral, I’m pleased to see you again,” the Emperor said evenly, his face betraying no such emotion as appeasement. Oikawa took this as his cue to stand once more.

“You honour me deeply with your words, Your Majesty,” Oikawa answered, saying it with both respect and sincerity. “It is not everyday that one is summoned by you personally as well, Your Majesty. I am at your service for whatever you may need.”

“As straight to the point as always,” Ushijima observed, nodding slightly with approval.

Before the Emperor spoke, Oikawa took note of Daishou practically at his liege’s elbow. He held a miniscule sneer, as if taunting Oikawa with knowledge that only he had. On either side of Shimizu and Ushijima were the two Starfall Knights, stoic and tall in their shrouded greatness. Each wore his magenta silk cloak on only one shoulder, allowing the intricately detailed white pauldron of his other shoulder to be seen, sharp and winged. Their kotes bore the elegant symbol of Shiratorizawa and the Empire in sleek gold stark against the white, and Oikawa could tell even from the distance he was at that their armour was thick, pulsing with the energy that provided them with their individual ‘elemental’ gifts. Ouhira sported a naginata in his hand, while Tendou had his katana and tanto in their sheaths. All the weapons of the Starfall Knights were made of sheer glass, rendering them useless in anyone’s hands but the Knights’: their rare gifts allowed them to reinforce the glass tenfold and supercharge them.

Or so Oikawa was told.

What Oikawa extracted from his quick glances at the two Knights was that they were at the ready. This meant that whatever Ushijima’s reason for summoning Oikawa was, the Admiral may very well react badly to it. _That’s_ what they were ready for.

“I have an individual mission for you, Admiral,” the Emperor began, emphasizing the word ‘individual.’ Oikawa shrouded his confusion with his interest, his face perking at the mention of a mission.

“As you know, the rebellion is growing in undesirable strength even as we speak. Their talk of freedom from an illusionary oppression has spurred unimaginable support from the Outreach Sectors. From what my spies have gathered, the spearheads of this rebellion hail from non-Alliance galaxies of the Outreach.” Daishou nodded in confirmation from Ushijima’s side, his dark eyes fixed uncomfortably on Oikawa. The Knights remained stoic, either impartial to the conversation or already knew everything the Emperor spoke of. Shimizu’s features gave no impression of what she may have been feeling.

“I would like you to infiltrate the head of the rebellion and bring it down from the inside out in however fashion you deem fit.”

_ Ah, _ Oikawa thought with diminished confidence.  _ He is banishing me. _

“Of course, Your Majesty,” he said instead, bowing deeply to the Emperor. “It shall be done. But are you certain I am worthy of this honour? One of the Starfall Knights may be better suited…”

“It must be you,” the Emperor insisted firmly.

_ At least banishment is a greater fate than an end such as death. _

“When shall I prepare to depart?” Oikawa asked, still standing tall despite the dejection throbbing within him. What had he done to anger the Emperor? Had Shirabu spoken badly of him after the Alliance council conference? Was he exercising his power too much in recent times? Did Ushijima just not  _ like  _ him?

Oikawa decided it was all three.

“Your diplomatic envoy to Datekou in two days time will be intercepted by a rebellion squadron, thanks to deliberate release of information geared towards the rebellion’s communications. They may suspect a trap, but their primary mission will be to capture you and ransom you. When the Empire refuses this, you will join their ranks, determine their leaders, and then kill them. You will rid this universe of their caustic opposition. I will not allow this Empire to be pulled apart by radicals. We will remain united.”

Why did the Emperor’s words remind Oikawa so much of his own speeches suddenly?

“United we shall remain,” Oikawa echoed, faintly hearing Shimizu, Daishou and the Knights loyally murmur the words as well.  _ United we shall remain… _

_ Of course, until one is a weak link; isn’t that right, Kaname? _

**Author's Note:**

> •Each school is now a parent planet with its own subplanets  
> •The Alliance has given each galaxy a sector number to be identified by because, frankly, they ran out of names to give them like the Milky Way  
> •Sectors are numbered and ranked by importance and when they entered the Alliance, so Shiratorizawa is 1 while the newest member of the Alliance is closer to 287  
> •Yes, Kiyoko is now an empress and I now ship KiyoWaka  
> •The Spears are the second tier officials of the Alliance, mostly consisting of the close to three hundred Chancellors, with Oikawa, Ikejiri and Daishou holding the highest authority  
> •The Sceptres are the first tier officials, including the royalty and the Starfall Knights. In this chapter, Oikawa mentions that he is still Shirabu’s superior. This is more experience wise because Shirabu is much younger than Oikawa and Oikawa has held the title of Admiral for about seven years. Shirabu has only been a Knight for two years  
> •If you have any other questions about this MASSIVE au, just hit me up on my tumblr -> http://ultrontitan114.tumblr.com/  
> •The Starfall Knights are actually the Ninja Turtles, just thought everybody should know that lol


End file.
